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PREFIXES IN GERMAN

Inseparableprefixes

be- Tends to make verbs transitiv and implies an active quality

bedienen =

bewohnen =begnaden =

besolden =makes a verb transitive

beantworten = to answer (a question)

or turns action towards object

besuchen = to visit

bekommen = to receive, get

de- means "de"

demaskieren =

dezentralisieren =

emp- upward

empfangen = to receive

ent- opposition (dis-, de-); beginning of action; implies removal

entnehmen =

entfrben =entlaufen =

entfliehen =

entgehen = to escape

er- implies an active quality and may imply a goal or result

intensifies meaning of base verb, upward/endward direction, effecting, achieving

erschiessen =

erbitten =erschlagen =

stress on outcome

erleben = to experience

or accomplishment

erkennen = to recognize

ge- formerly implied collectivity or perfect tense derivative); no recognizeable meaning now

gehren =

gewinnen =

gebren =result,completeness

gewinnen = to win or gain

successful action

gebrauchen = to use up, consume

mi- means "incorrectly"

miachten =

miverstehen =

mibrauchen =

missverstehen = to misunderstand

missbrauchen = to abuse

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fehl- means "unsuccessfully"

fehlschieen =

fehlgreifen =

re- means "re"

rekonstruieren =

reproduzieren =

un- negative (un-)

ver- wrong; up to a (negative) result

away

verreisen =

verjagen =

verschmeien =

too much

versalzen =

verpfeffern =

wrong

verhren =

verlegen =action of the verb has

verschlafen = to oversleep miscarried (BUT NOT ALWAYS!)

verlaufen = to go astray

zer- apart, separating, dissembling, destroying

zerbomben =

zerbrechen =

zerreissen =

asunder, apart

zerbrechen = to break into pieces

zerstren = to destroy

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Separable Prefixes (some meanings/implications)

ab- off, down, away (from)

abholen = to pick up

abnehmen = to take off

an- at, on, to, up to

means to reach a goal

anreisen =

ankommen =

anfliegen =means "on"

anmachen =

anschalten =

anbinden =

anfangen = to start, begin

anrufen = to call, telephone

anziehen = to put on, dress

auf- open, up, finish

means "up"

aufsteigen =

aufbauen =

aufkleben =

aufhren =aufessen =

aufhren = to stop

aufrumen = to clean up

aufstehen = to get up, stand up

aus- out, out of, off

means out

aussteigen =

ausschlpfen =

ausladen =

means bring to an end

ausdiskutieren =

auslesen =

ausglhen =

ausgehen = to go out

aussehen = to look, appear

bei- means "add to" or "join"beifgen =

beispringen =

beiliegen =

durch- means "through"

durchwandern =

durchbohren =

durchbrechen =

ein- in, into

means "in"

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einkommen =

einmischen =

einpacken =

einkaufen = to shop

einschlafen = to fall asleep

entgegen- means "toward"

entgegenlaufen

entgegenfahren

entgegengehen

fern- far

fernsehen = to watch TV

fort- awayfortgehen = to leave, go away

her- hither, toward (the speaker); herab- (down), herauf- (up), heraus- (out), herein- (in), herber- (over)

herholen = to fetch

herkommen = to come from

hin- thither, away from (the speaker); hinab- (down), hinauf- (up), hinaus- (out), hinein- (in), hinber- (over)

hinstellen = to place, put

hinter- means "behind" or "back"

hintergehen =

hinterlegen =

hintertragen =

los- means "loose" or "free"

losbinden =

losschrauben =loskoppeln =

mit- together with /along with nach- after, behind

mitbringen = to bring along

mitkommen = to come along

mitnehmen = to take along

nach- after

means "back"

nachblicken =

nachspringen =

nachwerfen =means "afterwards" or "later"

nachblhen =

nachklingen =

nachzhlen =

nachdenken = to think, reflectnachfragen = to inquire, ask after

ber- means "over"

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berfliegen =

berqueren =

berfahren =

um- means "around"

umgehen =

umkreisen =

umdrehen =

means "change"

umladen = umsteigenumziehen =um = around, at

umsehen = to look around

unter- means "under" or "down"

unterdrcken =

unterwerfen =

untertauchen =

vor- ahead, before

means in "in front" or "forward"

vorstehen =vorbringen =

vorlaufen =

vorhaben = to have planned

vorstellen = to introduce

vorbei - by, past

vorbeikommen = to come by

zu- shut, close

means "toward something"

zulaufen =

zueilen =zugehen =

means "close"

zumachen =

zupacken =

zuschlieen =

zuhren = to listen

zumachen = to close

zurck- back

zurckgeben = to give back

zurckkommen = to come back

zusammen- togetherzusammenkommen = to come together

weg- away

weggehen = to go away, leave

wegnehmen = to take away

wieder- means "again"

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wiederholen =

wiederfinden =

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